Dr. George Wicks

Dr. Wicks has been involved for more than 25 years in many areas of materials science, including vitrification and management of high level radioactive wastes (development, processing, testing and assessing of waste glass forms), development of sol-gel composites, and nuclear disarmament activities. He has worked extensively in many areas of glass science and studied the properties and structure of glasses for a variety of applications at both Harvard and MIT, where he received his advanced degrees. Dr. Wicks developed the first 'Slurry Feeding System' for vitrification of the 34 million gallons of high-level waste at SRS in the more than billion dollar Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), now in production. He is also co- developer of the SRS Kinetic Leachability Model, describing leaching behavior of the complex 40-component SRS waste glass system. He is also co-inventor of Sol-Gel Indicators, a new class of composite materials that can be fabricated into special sensors, and integrated into important fiber optic, analytical monitoring devices for environmental measurements and medical applications. He is co-inventor of Sol-Gel Metal Hydrides, composites which have an ability to store an unusually large amount of hydrogen, both reversible and very effectively. He is co- inventor of a new Hybrid Microwave Technology, with the ability to remediate hazardous components and reclaim reusable metals. He has also published a considerable amount of work in these various areas, including over 150 publications and 11 patents issued, to date. He also co-authored 4 books and wrote 6 invited chapters in texts and encyclopedias, and served as co- chairman for 7 international workshops and symposia on nuclear waste management in France, Belgium, Germany as well as the U.S.

Dr. Wicks has been past Chairman of the Nuclear Division of the American Ceramic Society and past President of the National Institute of Ceramic Engineers. He has also served on the U.S. Materials Review Board and been Adjunct Professor to Clemson University and the University of Florida. He is currently Chairman of the SRS Creativity Committee, Chairs the Sr. Professionals IRD Proposals Evaluation Panel and is Chairman of the SRTC Mentoring Committee. He has also served on the DuPont Corporate Ceramics Board and testified on technical aspects of waste management for various committees, including those of the National Academy of Sciences. He also currently serves on two International Scientific Advisory Boards involving radioactive waste management activities in France (CEA) and also the European Communities (EC). Dr. Wicks is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society and has received 3 George Westinghouse Signature Awards for technical excellence, including the "Gold Corporate Award" (for development of sol-gel sensors), along with the Westinghouse Innovators Award (for new hydrogen storage devices).